ISEEK.org worked with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to define a green job as one that has a direct or essential impact on a product, service, or process that results in environmental benefits.

Recycling and Pollution Reduction ­ jobs that reduce waste and pollution, both on land and in the air

Green Manufacturing ­ work that creates products that benefit the environment or that are made from environmentally-friendly materials

In addition to Minnesota-specific job search resources MNGreenCareers.org also includes resources applicable to job seekers in other states, including a collection of green career videos, green career profiles, and articles on multiple job search topics.

Idealist.org will be holding a Minneapolis Nonprofit Career Fair on April 13. This event is co-hosted by these University of Minnesota departments: the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs Career Services, the Community Service-Learning Center, the Health Careers Center, as well as the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits.

In addition, the Minneapolis Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair is joining with the Working for Change conference. The conference will explore social justice-oriented careers, with a focus on jobs in the nonprofit sector. Career professionals will also be available to review and edit resumes.

The Working for Change Conference will take place from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and the Minneapolis Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair will take place from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Both events are free to the public and will be at the University of Minnesota, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN.

At a press conference held earlier this week (podcast available) Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced a "Green Jobs Investment Initiative" for the 2009 legislative session. This initiative includes:

New tax-free incentives through a “Green JOBZ” program that will provide the same tax exemptions found in the state’s JOBZ program to qualifying green job projects

A new Job Growth Investment Tax Credit, 50 percent of which will be targeted to green job projects that will promote the state’s renewable energy goals ($20 million)

A new Small Business Investment Tax Credit for investments in qualified Minnesota businesses, 50 percent of which will be targeted to green job projects ($60 million)

Incentives to expand the production and infrastructure for biomethane, solar and other renewable energy projects

Creation of a clean and green technology category as part of the Minnesota Cup competition to reward innovation and spark invention

Tracking energy usage by state government and holding government accountable for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution

“The development of green jobs will be one of the biggest changes in our economy since the industrial revolution,” Governor Pawlenty said. “The proposals we are announcing today will fuel job growth by incentivizing new technology and innovation.”

According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, approximately 15,000 Minnesotans work in green jobs.

In June, a report entitled Job Opportunities for the Green Economy was released. This report includes employment and wage data in 12 states for jobs related to the following green sectors - building retrofitting, mass transit, fuel-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biomass fuels. The specific jobs examined in each sector are:

In this report “green jobs” are defined as occupations that contribute toward building or producing goods to achieve a ‘green’ marketplace. In addition, it links the idea that green jobs should be sustainable employment opportunities — that is, jobs that pay at least a living wage, offer training and promotional opportunities and some measure of security.

The report was authored by Robert Pollin and Jeanette Wicks-Lim of the Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and commissioned by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). It was released in cooperation with the Green Jobs for America Campaign, a partnership of the Sierra Club, Blue Green Alliance, United Steelworkers, NRDC and with the Center for American Progress and Green for All.